Sunday, June 26, 2011

Book Review: The Initiate by Louise Cooper


The Initiate

by Louise Cooper
Series: The Time Master Trilogy #1
Release date: November 1985
Publisher: Tor Books
Pages: 278 (paperback)
Second book: "The Outcast" January 1992

Introduction from Amazon:

The seven gods of Order had ruled unchallenged for centuries, served by the adepts of the Circle in their bleak northern castle on the Star Peninsula. But for Tarod -the most enigmatic and formidable sorcerer in Circle's ranks-a darker affinity had begun to call. Threatening his beliefs, even his sanity, it rose unbidden from beyond time; an ancient and deadly adversary that could plunge the world into madness and chaos-and whose power might rival that of the gods themselves. And though Tarod's mind and heart were pledged to Order, his soul was another matter...

Review By Alaiel Kreuz:

Somebody gave me the whole trilogy when I was 12 and, since I didn't like the covers to much (the Spanish covers, that is) I didn't pay attention to the books for more than a year.
What a waste of time... One day I was bored and had nothing else to read but these books so I thought "Well, why not? Let's give them a try...". That evening I didn't do anything else but read the first book and that night the others two (of course I had to use a lantern because, let's face it, I was a little kid and I had to sleep early and go to school).
I think I have read the whole trilogy at least 20 more times after that. Every time I do I immerse myself in a completely new world where the Gods are really important and there's a battle that no one knows about but the Good and Evil gods... And, can you trust these gods?

The first book, The Initiate, is where the author Louise Cooper introduce us to Tarod (I wish I could name my future boy like him one day!) a kid that, after killing his cousin during a game finds himself transported for a "warp" far away from his village before the people decides to judge him for his crime. He is then found and taken to the Star Peninsula and into the Circle, a group of adepts that use magic and are the chosen of the Gods to keep the Dark forces far from the people.
He is raised by the High Priest of the Circle and Keridil (the son of the High Priest), turns into a brother for Tarod.
In the Circle Tarod realizes that he has an extraordinary ability with magic... maybe because of a ring that he always wears and that is always with him.

Life goes on and he turns into a tall handsome man with unruly black hair and intense, emerald green eyes. He is loyal to the people and principles he believes in, and you wouldn't want him as an enemy.
But after a tragedy he falls in love with a gorgeous girl, Shashka, a yound lady that knows what people want to see and hear... and she uses that to get everything she wants.
He also meets a normal country girl, Cyllan, that despite the fact that she is not as pretty as Shashka is more loyal and trustworthy than her.

In the end of the first book Tarod is forced to choose between a punishment or save his life by swearing loyalty to the Evil gods... and he chooses to live in a different "place" inside the Circle. He also learns that love is not important for a girl that wants power...

In my opinion The Initiate is not the best book of the trilogy, but it builds the foundation for the next two books... And they are amazingly good.

Alaiel's Rating:


If you really like it, you can find it here:

No comments:

Post a Comment

Something to share? (cheese would be awesome!) I love to read your comments :]